This post is an A to Z random thoughts list about writing a cookbook. I wrote it because this week I keep thinking about clients who say, “I don’t know”. What if you did know? What would that look like? So when you don’t know what to write, write an A to Z list around your area of expertise. You might be surprised what comes up.

Action, not inaction, leads to your book’s completion.

Build your platform every day.

Create book content that your audience will enjoy and benefit from. You are the expert.

Delve deep into a narrow topic to broaden your appeal.

Effort is not always necessary when you feel good and write what you love.

Other people have good ideas, but when you’re generating your cookbook concept, don’t take a poll. Just poll yourself and decide what you want to do.

Pay attention to how you feel during this journey because it is a journey. Even when you finish your book, the journey continues as you market and sell the book.

Quitting won’t get you closer to your goal. Don’t quit, just keep learning.

Rest assured that no one can write a book exactly like you because they aren’t you.

Save yourself the trouble of not asking too many opinions. Your reason to move forward is in you.

Test all recipes for your cookbook proposal. Test them again so you put your best foot forward.

Unless you plan to write only one book, don’t feel like you have to cover everything in your first book.

Vary the ways you feel inspired from travel, to exercise, to a meal at your favorite restaurant.

When it’s time to submit your cookbook proposal, follow the agent’s or publisher’s submission guidelines.

Xylophone. This had nothing to do with cookbooks but I can’t think of an X word.

You are the reason your book idea is different from your competitors. You make it unique.

Zero in on your audience and how you can help them or what you can offer them from your expertise.

Cookbook author and culinary dietitian Maggie Green coaches aspiring cookbook authors in the process of writing cookbooks, cookbook proposals, and building their author platform. Download her checklist “Am I Ready to Write A Cookbook?”